Recipe: Mini Red Velvet Cake

It may not be Valentine’s Day anymore, but that shouldn’t stop you from treating your partner and/or friends every now and then. This red velvet cake uses a simple recipe for a fluffy, chocolatey sponge and a delicious cream cheese icing, and using 6” tins makes it the perfect size to share between two.

 

Ingredients

For the cake:

85g unsalted butter

200g caster sugar

2 medium eggs

20g cocoa powder

1 tsp red food colouring

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

170ml buttermilk

200g plain flour

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar

 

For the cream cheese icing:

100g unsalted butter (room temperature)

100g icing sugar

200g cream cheese

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

 

Method:

  1. Grease and line two 6” cake tins. 
  2. Preheat the oven to 170°c. 
  3. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar using an electric whisk or wooden spoon until pale and fluffy. 
  4. Add the eggs, buttermilk, red food colouring and vanilla, and beat again. 
  5. In another bowl, mix together the flour, salt and cocoa powder.
  6. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing with a wooden spoon until smooth. 
  7. Beat in the vinegar and bicarbonate of soda for a good few minutes until fully combined.
  8. Divide the cake mixture between the two tins and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 30-35 minutes, checking that a skewer or knife comes out clean. 
  9. Place the cakes onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely (the most important step!) – remove them from the tins and take off the parchment paper when the tins are cool enough. 
  10. Now that the cakes have cooled completely, in a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and room temperature butter with an electric whisk or wooden spoon. 
  11. Gradually sift in the icing sugar and add the vanilla extract, and beat again. 
  12. Place one of the cakes onto a serving plate and spread with a heaped spoonful of the cream cheese icing. 
  13. Place the other cake layer on top and spread on the remaining icing, using a spatula or palette knife to cover the sides. 
  14. Slice and enjoy!